April 18, 2018
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 1 Samuel? Here’s today’s reading:
1 Samuel 19 (ESV)
And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. 3 And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” 4 And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. 5 For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the Lord worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” 6 And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before...Continue Reading
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Jonathan knew right from wrong
9Then a harmful spirit from the Lord came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. 10And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night.
Really not liking the idea of the harmful spirit is from the Lord. 😬
Oh the back and forth nature of rage and jealousy….okay Jonathan, you convinced me, I shouldn’t kill David….but wait there’s David playing the harp and the thoughts race of God’s hand on him and the people’s praise of him cause the spear to go flying. It is a good thing that Jonathan told him to be cautious. And Melanie, I think the evil spirit from God just shows that they too are under God’s authority whether they like it or not and God is certainly not beyond giving us what we want and greasing the wheels of disobedience so we bear the implications of our evil sooner rather than later and increase the chance of repentance. I know I see the value of that as I see people walking away from God…help them see the path of destruction for what it is.
And isn’t it interesting that two of Saul’s children see the wicked nature of their Father’s course and do things to protect David. And what a great way for the chapter to end. God’s hand on Samuel and David is made so clear that anyone who comes around them are going to overcome by God’s Spirit…even Saul. I wonder if Saul recognized the stark difference between the Spirit of God leading him to prophesy and the evil spirit sent by God. I wonder if that was part of God’s plan to send both kind of spirits into Saul’s heart…..